Speculation about a new Popeye movie featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has ignited across social media after a 72-second trailer surfaced on YouTube, uploaded by FoxStar Media.

The trailer, allegedly teasing a live-action Popeye film slated for a 2024 release, showcases epic dialogues, pirate ships navigating tumultuous oceans, and a sandy cove.

The video concludes with a title card proclaiming “Popeye The Sailor Man” and a hashtag for the purported movie, leaving fans buzzing about the potential cinematic debut of the iconic spinach-loving sailor.

Genndy Tartakovsky’s Popeye Dream

Years prior, filmmaker Genndy Tartakovsky expressed his ambition to create a Popeye movie, declaring to SlashFilm in May 2020 that he felt “destined” to bring the character to the big screen.

However, Tartakovsky’s animated Popeye project faced setbacks in 2015, as creative differences emerged with the studio over the character’s modernization.

Despite the director’s passion for the beloved character, the project languished in development hell.

Debunking the Trailer

A closer examination of the viral trailer, unfortunately, exposes it as a fabrication. Composed of snippets from various Hollywood hits over the past 15 years, including Dwayne Johnson’s Jungle Cruise (2021), the trailer lacks authenticity.

Notably, a shot featuring Johnny Depp’s Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) and scenes from Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg’s Uncharted (2022) debunk any hopes of a genuine Popeye movie.

The misleading trailer strategically incorporates unrelated clips, dispelling the notion of a Popeye film starring The Rock in 2024.

Prospects for a Live-Action Popeye Movie

The rights to Popeye are presently held by King Features, and with the previous attempt at a Popeye movie stalled in development, the likelihood of a live-action adaptation seems dim.

Moreover, Dwayne Johnson’s packed schedule, marked by various film commitments, raises doubts about his availability for such a project.

The actor’s upcoming ventures include the Christmas adventure film Red One alongside Chris Evans, Fast & Furious 11 in 2025, and executive production duties for a live-action Moana retelling.

The sequel to 2021’s Red Notice is also in the works, contributing to Johnson’s hectic professional calendar.

The viral Popeye movie trailer lacks authenticity, and the prospects of a legitimate live-action adaptation starring Dwayne Johnson in 2024 appear unfounded.

With Johnson’s busy schedule and no concrete evidence of the movie’s existence, any potential Popeye project remains speculative and distant from realization.

Who is Popeye the sailor man in real life?

Born as Frank “Rocky” Fiegel in 1868 in Poland, he immigrated to the United States with his parents during his childhood.

The family settled in a small town in Illinois. Rocky later pursued a career at sea, spending 20 years as a sailor in the Merchant Marines before retiring.

Why was Popeye called Popeye?

Tasked with cleaning and working as a bouncer, he frequently found himself in fights, earning him the nickname “Popeye” due to a deformed eye resulting from the punches he endured.

Over time, his numerous victories in these altercations turned him into a local legend.